Surgical operation tables

ABSTRACT

A surgical operation table has a patient-supporting table top including a main section and an extension section. The extension section is slidable lengthwise of the table top between an extended position in which it extends the length of the table top and a retracted position in which it lies beneath the main section. The extension section can be releasably locked in its extended position.

nited States Patent [1 1 Lee 1 1 Nov. 5, 1974 [54] SURGICAL OPERATIONTABLES 2,552,370 5/1951 Curtis 269/328 2,605,151 7 1952 Sh' [75]Inventor: Norma" John London England 2,606,801 8/1952 269/324 [73] A igM tb (H ldi L d 3,478,372 1 1/1969 Benoit et a1. 5/66 X London, EnglandPrimary Exa minerRoy Lake [22] Flled' May 1973 Assistant Examiner-NeilAbrams [21] A 1 NO 365,467 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wi11iam R. Lihcrman,Esq.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT June 7, 1972 GreatBritain 26535/72 A surgical operation table has a patient-supporting 1table top including a main section and an extension [52] US. Cl. 269/324section. The extension section is slidablc lengthwise of [51] Int. ClA61g 13/00 the table top between an extended position in which it [58]Field of Search 269/322-325, extends the length of the table top and aretracted po- 269/328; 297/430-436; 5/66, 67 sition in which it liesbeneath the main section The 7 extension section (fan be releasablylocked in its ex- [56] References Cited tended position.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 2,247,720 7/1941Wonderly 297/430 X PATENTEBNBY slam 33451947 SHEET 3 OF 3 I FIG. 3 is apartly exploded perspective view Surgical operation tables with apatient-supporting top having a main section and an extension sectionare known. An objectof the present invention is to provide an improvedsuch table.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF'THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevation of a surgicaloperation table according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is an elevation of the top portion of the same table, butillustrating an extension section in an alternative position, Iillustrating the construction of the extension section,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a clamping mechanism associated with theextension section and,

FIG. is a' detail view of another modification.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the illustrated embodiment ofthe invention, a surgical operation table comprises a patient-supportingplatform or table top T which is mounted in 'a heightadjustable-manneron a suitable base 1. This base may be fixed or it may (as shown inFIG. 1) be mounted on wheels or castors. Thetable top has a main section2 arranged to support the body of the patient and a separate headsection 3 which is arrangedat one end of the main section in such a waythat the angular position of the head section with respect to the mainsection may be adjusted as desired. An extension section 4 is arrangedat the other end of the main section 2 to support the'legs of thepatient. The angular position of this extension or leg section withrespect to the main section may also be adjusted as desired. All of thevarious sections are preferably constructedof a metal frame whichsupports sheets 5 of X-ray translucent material on which a mattress ormattresses can be placed. In FIG.

1, the extension section 4 is shown with its translucent I the mainsection. This will improve the image intensifier qualities of the tableas there will then be no double thickness of material between thepatient and the intensifier equipment.

The metal frame of the extension section 4 includes a carriage portion 6and a swinging portion 7 which is pivotally mounted on the carriage 6.This carriage 6 is provided with slide bars 8, conveniently of brass,which can run .in acomplementary slide channel 9, conveniently of steel,inside the metal frame of the main section 2. The slide bars at therighthand side of FIG. 3 are not shown in the interests of clarity. Thecarriage 6 is at all times beneath the main section 2 as the entirepatient-supporting surface of the extension section is on the swingingportion 7.

Obviously, many alternative slide arrangements could be used. Forexample, runners on the extension section could run in ball-bearingtracks in the main section or runners made of, or coated with. asuitable lowfriction material could run in suitable tracks in the mainsection. I

A locking mechanism for retaining the extension section 4 in itsextended position is provided on each side of the extension section.This locking mechanism is illustrated in FIG. 3, in which Figure someparts have been omitted for the sake of clarity. These lockingmechanisms are mirror images of one another. Each locking mechanismcomprises a locking plate 10 (only one. of which is visible in thedrawings) pivotally mounted at one'side of the carriage 6 of theextension section 4. This locking plate 10 has a locking recess 11 whichhas. a leadfin opening facing the direction of movement of the extensionsection to its extended position. A co-operating locking pin 12 isprovided on the frame of the main section 2 in such a position that whenthe extension section is fully extended, the pin 12 is engaged in thelocking recess 11 as shown at the right of FIG. 3. The locking recess 11is so shaped and the pivot 13 of the locking plate 10 is so positionedthat once the locking pin 12 is engaged in the locking recess 11 itcannot be disengaged unless and until the locking plate 10 is turned toa release direction by operation of a release mechanism.

Each locking plate 10 has its own release mechanism. Each of thesemechanisms comprises a push-rod 14 (only one of which is visible in thedrawings) extending the length of the extension section and terminatingin a release knob 15 extending from the end of the extension section.This push rod 14 is axially slidable and can be displaced towards themain section against the action of the loading of a spring 16 to releasethe locking pin. The push rod 14 carries a release plate 17 which canbear on a release pin 18 on the locking plate 10. This release pin 18 isfreely located in an aperture 19 in the carriage frame 6 of theextension section which aperture 19 is of sufficient size to permit thelocking plate 10 to berotated about its pivot 13 by an amount sufficientto release the locking pin 12.

The swinging portion 7 of the extension section 4 is pivotably mountedon the carriage portion 6 and can be retained in the horizontal positionor any desired angular position, by a clamping mechanism shown in FIG.4. The section includes stays 20 arranged at each side of the extensionsection 4 extending lengthwise of the section, and pivotally mounted asat 18a on the carriage 6. These stays 20 run through openings in a metaltube 21, extending transversely across the free end of the extensionsection 4. A clamp rod 22 extends through this tube and has at each endcylindrical clamp pads 23, conveniently of brassor nylon. Each of clampmembers 23 at one end of the clamp rod 22 bears against one of the stays20. The clamp member at the other end of the clamp rod bears against theother stay 20.

A clamp handle 24 projected from one side of the extension section 4 isrotatable to rotate a clamp screw 22 into contact with the one of thestays. By rotation of the clamp handle 24, the clamp screw is tightenedagainst the adjacent stay and that stay is displaced in such a directionthat the clamp rod and the two clamp members are compressed between thetwo stays. This causes the two clamp members to prevent relativemovement between the clamp members and the stays thereby to retain theextension section in its desired angular position.

FIG. 5 shows a modification of the extension section 4 in which theremovable patient supporting surface of the section has an overhangingportion giving an increased length to the table. Such a section isuseful in operations where a patient has to be placed in the lithotomyposition as it enables the patient to be correctly positioned at thebeginning of the operation and it also increases the length of theportion of the table beneath which image intensification equipment canbe arranged.

What is claimed is:

l. A surgical examination or operation table comprising apatient-supporting table top includinga main section and an extensionsection, the extension section being slidable lengthwise of the tabletop between an extended position lengthwise of the table top and aretracted position below the main section, means for releasably lockingthe extension section in its extended position, the extension sectionincluding a carriage portion provided with slide members, complementaryslide channels beneath the main section within which the slides areengaged, a swinging portion pivotally mounted on the carriage portion,clamping means for selectively maintaining the swinging portion in ahorizontal position or an angular position with respect to the carriageportion, and means at each side of the table top comprising a lockingplate pivotally mounted on the extension section and having a lockingrecess with a lead-in opening facing the direction of movement of theextension section, a co-operating locking pin mounted on the mainsection in position engageable in the locking recess when the extensionsection is fully extended, and a spring-loaded push-rod extendinglengthwise of the table and being axially moveable against the loadingof the spring, whereby to pivot the locking plate and release it fromengagement with the locking pin for movement of the extension sectionselectively into the retracted position or any intermediate position.

2. A table as claimed in claim 1 including stays pivotally mounted onthe carriage portion and extending lengthwise beneath the swingingportion, a clamping member carried by the swinging portion and extendingtransversely thereof, said clamping member having openings in which thestays are slidable, clamping pads inside the clamping member, and ahandle at one side of the table, the said handle being rotatable to movethe clamping pads into clamping engagement with the stays.

3. A table as claimed in claim 2, wherein the clamping member is a tubeextending transversely of the extension section and having openings inwhich the stays are slidable, a pair of cylindrical clamping padsarranged in the tube, one in contact with each stay, a clamp rodextending between the clamping pads, and a clamp screw rotatable byrotation of the handle so as to move into engagement with one of thestays whereby the stays, clamping pads and clamp rod are compressed intoclamping engagement with one another.

1. A surgical examination or operation table comprising apatient-supporting table top including a main section and an extensionsection, the extension section being slidable lengthwise of the tabletop between an extended position lengthwise of the table top and aretracted position below the main section, means for releasably lockingthe extension section in its extended position, the extension sectionincluding a carriage portion provided with slide members, complementaryslide channels beneath the main section within which the slides areengaged, a swinging portion pivotally mounted on the carriage portion,clamping means for selectively maintaining the swinging portion in ahorizontal position or an angular position with respect to the carriageportion, and means at each side of the table top comprising a lockingplate pivotally mounted on the extension section and having a lockingrecess with a lead-in opening facing the direction of movement of theextension section, a co-operating locking pin mounted on the mainsection in position engageable in the locking recess when the extensionsection is fully extended, and a spring-loaded push-rod extendinglengthwise of the table and being axially moveable against the loadingof the spring, whereby to pivot the locking plate and release it fromengagement with the locking pin for movement of the extension sectionselectively into the retracted position or any intermediate position. 2.A table as claimed in claim 1 including stays pivotally mounted on thecarriage portion and extending lengthwise beneath the swinging portion,a clamping member carried by the swinging portion and extendingtransversely thereof, said clamping member having openings in which thestays are slidable, clamping pads inside the clamping member, and ahandle at one side of the table, the said handle being rotatable to movethe clamping pads into clamping engagement with the stays.
 3. A table asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the clamping member is a tube extendingtransversely of the extension section and having openings in which thestays are slidable, a pair of cylindrical clamping pads arranged in thetube, one in contact with each stay, a clamp rod extending between theclamping pads, and a clamp screw rotatable by rotation of the handle soas to move into engagement with one of the stays whereby the stays,clamping pads and clamp rod are compressed into clamping engagement withone another.